Alston & Bird Healthcare Week in Review, January 11, 2019

Below is Alston & Bird’s Healthcare Week in Review, which provides a synopsis of the latest news in healthcare regulations, notices, and guidance; federal legislation and congressional committee action; reports, studies, and analyses; and other health policy news.

I. REGULATIONS, NOTICES, & GUIDANCE

Due to the government shutdown there are no regulatory updates this week.

Event Notices

January 16, 2019: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a public meeting of the Advisory Panel on Outreach and Education (APOE). The meeting will allow the public to present oral presentations on issues pertaining to the education of providers and stakeholders with respect to the Affordable Care Act.

February 27, 2019: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced a public meeting of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment National Advisory Council (NAC). The NAC will discuss recovery housing and expanding access to medication-assisted treatment.

April 10, 2019: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a public meeting entitled, Prescription Drug User Fee Act of 2017; Electronic Submissions and Data Standards. The purpose of the meeting is to fulfill FDA’s commitment to seek stakeholder input related to data standards and the electronic submission systems’ past performance, future targets, emerging industry needs and technology initiatives.

II. CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATION & COMMITTEE ACTION

U.S. Senate

There were no health-related hearings this week.

House of Representatives

There were no health-related hearings this week.

III. REPORTS, STUDIES, & ANALYSES

On January 10, 2019, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report entitled, Improper Payments: Selected Agencies Need Improvements in Their Assessments to Better Determine and Document Risk Susceptibility. The GAO reviewed agencies’ improper payment risks estimating that the federal government made $141 billion in improper payments in fiscal year 2017. The report found that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had a low risk for significant improper payments, although the agency lacked sufficient documentation to assess the extent to which their risk assessments provided a reasonable basis for their risk determinations.

IV. OTHER HEALTH POLICY NEWS

On January 8, 2019, the Journal of the American Medical Association issued a report entitled, Medical Marketing in the United States, 1997-2016. The report found that the health care industry spends approximately $30 billion per year on marketing, which is a 70 percent increase over the past 20 years.